Basket rack



Feb. 18, 1969 5,1 BAGGQTT 3,428,187 7 BASKET RACK Filed Jan. 5, 1967 Sheet 1 of 2 1N VENIOR agape-(s 2' 5.466072- Feb. 18, 1969 G. 'r. BAGGOTT BASKET RACK Sheet L of 2 Filed Jan. 3; 1967 [N VENT 01? U Q mow/ M a p 0 if r A E I 6%, m 4 a United States Patent 3,428,187 BASKET RACK George T. Baggott, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to Crescent Metal Products, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Jan. 3, 1967, Ser. No. 606,606 [1.8. Cl. 21171 Int. Cl. A47g 29/00, 29/02; A47 47/16 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Background of the invention This invention relates to a novel rack construction for supporting vertical stacks of loaded baskets and the like in a convenient, readily accessible position for transporting and storing. More particularly the invention relates to a new and improved means for carrying loaded baskets and the like cantilevered out from one or both sides of a vertical stand which may be mounted on a portable base.

The invention is particularly adapted to provide a means for stacking wire baskets or baskets formed of a skeletal framework of rigid rods such as are used in hospitals, schools, cafeterias and restaurants for carrying dishes and utensils. The dishes and utensils can be loaded in baskets of this type for washing, rinsing, drying and storing without ever handling the dishes and utensils themselves. This affords many advantages including improved sanitation and reduced breakage.

In order to achieve optimum speed and efliciency in handling and processing loaded baskets of the type described, it is essential that some convenient means for holding and transporting a large number of such loaded baskets be provided. Since dishes and utensils in the baskets are often very hot and wet it is desirable to have a free fiow of ambient air through and around the baskets for cllfective cooling and drying. A convenient means for accomplishing this, however, is not obtainable from the prior art.

Most often loaded baskets are hand carried from one location to another and stored inefliciently on tables or shelves, or else loaded on a portable cart having vertically spaced shelves. Because the cart usually has corner posts to support the shelves, loading is generally difficult and precarious. Also since the shelves are usually closely spaced to provide maximum storage surface area, it is almost impossible to position a basket 0n the cart without pushing against the cart and rolling it on its castors or rollers. Comparable difliculty is also experienced in removing the loaded baskets from the shelves of the cart. The storage rack of the present invention overcomes the difiiculties indicated above and affords other features and advantages not obtainable from the prior art.

Summary of the invention According to the invention there is provided a rack for carrying loaded or unloaded baskets and the like in stacked relation one-above-the-other. The rack includes a vertical stand mounted on a base such as a platform which rides on castors or rollers. The stand provides vertically spaced mounting locations for a plurality of pairs of horizontally spaced mounting brackets. Each mounting bracket has at least one arm extending outwardly from the stand, the arm having a plurality of recesses therein, each recess being adapted to receive an upper frame portion of a basket or the like to be supported, such as a rigid wire or rod forming part of the skeletal frame of the basket. A lower frame portion of the basket rests against the stand so that the basket is cantilevered out from the stand, the angle of tilt, if any of the basket being determined by the particular recesses in which the upper frame portion is received.

According to one aspect of the invention the stand includes a pair of spaced vertical posts, each post being provided with means forming a plurality of vertically spaced, horizontal channels defining the mounting location. Each bracket is clamped around one of the posts with a portion thereof located in one of the channels to prevent vertical movement. In one embodiment the channels are formed by a strip of corrugated metal such as aluminum, which is secured to one side of each post.

According to another aspect of the invention, the stand includes a pair of spaced vertical posts wherein the mounting locations are defined by vertically spaced openings adapted to receive bolts or other fasteners for securing the brackets to the post.

It is among the objects of the invention to provide a means for holding a plurality of loaded baskets or the like in stacked relation for transporting and storing.

Another object of the invention is to provide a basket storage means Whereon loaded baskets may be easily positioned manually in stacked relation and wherein the loaded basket may be selectively removed without disturbing adjacent baskets.

A further object of the invention is to provide a rack for storing loaded baskets wherein the free flow of ambient air around and through the baskets is uninhibited by structural members.

Other objects, uses and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description and claims.

Brief description of the drawings FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing a portable basket rack embodying the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary elevational view of the basket rack of FIGURE 1 showing two skeletal type baskets mounted in two different positions on the rack;

FIGURE 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the mounting brackets which are secured to the rack for supporting the baskets;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary perspective view on an enlarged scale illustrating the attachment of the brackets to the vertical stand of the rack;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a basket rack embodying the invention and illustrating a modified form thereof; and

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary perspective view on an enlarged scale illustrating the attachment of the brackets in the modified form shown in FIGURE 5.

Description of the preferred embodiments Referring more particularly to the drawings FIGURES 1 to 4 show a portable basket rack A embodying the invention and adapted to carry skeletal type baskets B cantilevered in stacked relation, one-a'bove-the-other. The rack comprises a platform 10 which rolls on swivel type castors 11. Centrally mounted on the platform 10 is a vertical stand 12 comprising a perimetric rectangular frame including two vertical posts 13 and two crossmembers 14, one of the cross-members 14 being secured to the platform 10. The vertical posts 13 and cross-mem- 3 bers 14 are channel shaped to provide the desired rigidity.

Secured to the outer face of each post 13 is a strip 15 of corrugated material, preferably a metal such as aluminum. The strip 15 defines a plurality of channels 16 each of which provides a mounting location for a bracket 18. The brackets are connected in pairs to channels 16 at the same level on opposite posts 13.

Each bracket 18 comprises a member 19 and a U shaped clamping member 20. The member 19 has a narrow central span 20 which is positioned in a channel 16 of the strip 15. Extending outwardly from each end of the central portion 21 are arms each of which has two recesses 23 formed therein. The members 19 are secured to the posts 13 by the clamping members 20 which have two parallel arms 24 each of which has a downwardly facing recess 25 formed therein. The member 20 fits snugly around a post 13 from the inside of the stand 12 and is dropped over the member 19 so that the central span 20 of the member 19 is received in the downwardly facing recesses 25. This serves to clamp the member 19 in position and prevent vertical slipping thereof on the post 13.

A plurality of pairs of the brackets 18 are spaced one-above-the-other on the posts 13 the spacing depending upon the size of the particular baskets to be carried and the clearance desired between the loaded baskets.

The baskets B to be stacked are positioned on the rack A by placing the rod 26 forming 'an upper part of the skeletal framework of the basket B in the recesses of two of the brackets 19 which form a level pair. A rod 27 at the bottom of the skeletal framework of the basket B rests against the vertical posts 13 so that the baskets B are cantilevered out one-above-the-other .from one or both sides of the stand 12. The recesses 23 provide two choices of supporting positions for the baskets B, one position being that shown at the top of FIGURE 2 and the other position being tilted downward as shown in the lower part of FIGURE 2.

FIGURES 5 and 6 illustrate a modified form of the invention wherein baskets are adapted to be carried in only one vertical stack and wherein a different means for securing the mounting brackets to the stand is provided. The embodiment of FIGURES 5 and 6 comprises a platform 30 supported on castors 31 and a vertical stand 32 mounted adjacent one side of the rectangular platform 30. The stand 32 is in the form of a rectangular frame and comprises two vertical posts 33 and two horizontal cross-members 34. Formed in each vertical post 33 are a plurality of vertically spaced holes 35 which define the mounting locations for pairs of mounting brackets 36. The mounting brackets 36 are of unitary construction and are formed of a strip of rigid material, preferably a metal such as aluminum, which has a U shaped main portion 37 and an outwardly extending arm 38. The U shaped main portion 37 fits around each post 33 and is secured thereto by machine screws 39 which extend through an opening in the main portion 37 and through one of the openings 35 formed in the vertical posts 33.

The arms 38 have two recesses 40 and 41 formed therein which function in the same manner as the recesses 23 of the embodiment of FIGURES l to 4.

It will be understood that this invention has been shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof which are intended for the purpose of illustration rather than limitation, and other variations and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art within the intended spirit and scope of the invention, wherefore the patent is not to be limited to the form of storage rack herein as specifically illustrated and described nor in any other manner inconsistent with the progress by which the art has been promoted by this invention.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for supporting baskets and the like in stacked relation comprising a base, a vertical stand rigidly mounted on said base, means forming a plurality of vertically spaced pairs of laterally spaced anchorages on said stand and comprising a strip of corrugated material secured to said stand, said strip defining a plurality of vertically spaced horizontal channels, a plurality of brackets adapted to be removably mounted at said anchorages, one at each anchorage of a pair of anchorages, an arm on each of said brackets, said arm extending outwardly from said stand and having a plurality of upwardly facing recesses formed therein, each recess being adapted to receive an upper frame portion of a basket to be supported so that a bottom frame portion of said basket bears against said stand whereby said basket is cantilevered on said stand at an angle of tilt which is determined by the recess in which the upper frame portion is received.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said brackets each comprise a first member having a central span adapted to be received in one of said channels and a U shaped second member adapted to fit snugly around a portion of said stand and engage said first member at opposite ends of said central span to retain said first member in said channel.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said first member has outwardly extending arms at each end thereof so that baskets may be carried on opposite sides of said stand.

4. Apparatus for supporting baskets and the like in stacked relation comprising a base, two vertical posts mounted on opposite sides of said base, two strips of corrugated material, one secured to each post, said strips defining a plurality of vertical spaced horizontal channels, a plurality of brackets adapted to be located in pairs, one on each post at equal heights, said brackets each comprising a first member having a central span adapted to be received in one of said channels and an arm extending outwardly from said posts and a U shaped second member adapted to fit snugly around one of said posts and engage said first member at opposite ends of said central span to retain said first member in said channel, said arm having a plurality of upwardly facing recesses formed therein, each recess being adapted to receive an upper frame portion of a basket to be supported so that a bottom portion of said basket bears against said posts, whereby said basket is cantilevered on said posts at an angle of tilt which is determined by the recess in which said upper frame portion is received.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,477,735 8/1949 Gentile 248- 2,760,647 8/1956 Saul 211l3 3,353,778 11/1967 Sylvain et al. 248-246 XR 3,313,425 4/1967 Injeski 248--125 FOREIGN PATENTS 965,495 7/ 1964 Great Britain. 1,236,816 6/1960 France.

CHANCELLOR E. HARRIS, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

